Licensable Technologies : Security & Defense

Apparatus Having Reduced Background for Measuring Radiation Activity in Aerosol Particles

Abstract
Apparatus having reduced background for measuring radiation activity in aerosol particles. A continuous air monitoring sampler is described for use in detecting the presence of alpha-emitting aerosol particles. An inlet fractionating screen has been demonstrated to remove about 95% of freshly formed radon progeny from the aerosol sample, and approximately 33% of partially aged progeny. Addition of an electrical condenser and a modified dichotomous virtual impactor are expected to produce considerable improvement in these numbers, the goal being to enrich the transuranic (TRU) fraction of the aerosols. This offers the possibility of improving the signal-to-noise ratio for the detected alpha-particle energy spectrum in the region of interest for detecting TRU materials associated with aerosols, thereby enhancing the performance of background-compensation algorithms for improving the quality of alarm signals intended to warn personnel of potentially harmful quantities of TRU materials in the ambient air.

IP Status: Available both Exclusively and Non Exclusively

Reference Number: 531

S Number: DOE reference no.(s): 71,002

Patents & Applications:
United States National Patent Number 5128539 Issued on 07/07/1992

Posted: 10-05-2004

Contact
John Russell
Technology Transfer Division
Los Alamos National Laboratory
P.O. Box 1663, MailStop C334
(505) 665-3941
jrussell@lanl.gov